Tummy Tuck: Prices, Photos, Reviews, Info, Q&A

Tummy Tuck Will Give You A Better Result Than Liposuction

Although you would see improvement with liposuction alone, I agree that you will see a lot more improvement with a tummy tuck.

It appears that you have sufficient skin excess for a standard tummy tuck. A tummy tuck would also give you improvement with tightening of you abdominal muscles. (John Whitt, MD, Louisville Plastic Surgeon)

I think you would do very well with just superficial and deep tumescent liposuction (Gasparotti technique). Significant improvement, no scar, and much quicker and easier recovery.

I try to think of simplest and safest procedure that will get patient close to what she wants.

Liposuction and tummy tuck surgery image before

2) Full abdominoplasty with liposuction is also an option for more dramatic improvement, but with tradeoffs. For you, to make very low incision (which is the right way), you will also need a short vertical middle scar where the belly button came from.

You don’t have a lot of loose skin, which is why I would still recommend just liposuction. (George J. Beraka, MD (retired) )

Tummy tuck surgery versus liposuction

I have ladies with your exact appearance coming in to see me on a weekly basis hoping to just get liposuction. The problem is that liposuction only addresses fat and does not address loose skin or stretched muscles. After weight gain and weight loss and/or pregnancy the abdominal wall is often deformed by things other than just fat.

Liposuction and tummy tuck surgery patient

In truth there is often more loose skin and stretched out muscle than there is fat. The reason you wear a corset is because it pulls your muscles in just like the muscle repair of a tummy tuck. No liposuction tightens muscle or claims to. I have a local “med-spa” offering scarless abdominoplasty to patients. I feel that it is a complete scam and potentially dangerous. People are attracted to the idea of laser-liposuction instead of abdominoplasty. They are told that the laser will “shrink” the skin. I do not believe that laser-liposuction actually does this. I believe it shrinks the skin a little bit, but not enough to give a satisfactory result. I would suggest looking at the link I am posting about a patient who I ultimately performed abdominoplasty on after her unsuccessful “smart-lipo.”

Liposuction and tummy tuck surgery photos

I am not bad-mouthing Smart-lipo. I think it is a great procedure for the right problem. I think that small limited areas of fat such as double-chins and inner thighs work well with this technology. My belief is that doing large amounts of liposuction on awake patients requires too much lidocaine to numb the areas and that this lidocaine in large amounts can cause major problems even fatalities.

In the end the best suggestion to you is to go meet with several board certified plastic surgeons and get an examination as well as a full consultation. Learn about the procedures in detail and get specific recommendations for your body. Then once you meet a physician that you believe you trust to operate on you, consider all of your options. (Evan Sorokin, MD, Cherry Hill Plastic Surgeon)

Tummy tuck and liposuction likely to produce best result

Liposuction and tummy tuck surgery picture

Best result with the flattest tummy as well as with the least amount of sagging skin will be a tummy tuck. You do appear to have enough laxity to achieve a low incision although this will have to be confirmed by exam. Thourough liposuction will give you a flatter abdomen as well but it may very well leave you with loose skin. All the best,, Dr Remus Repta (Remus Repta, MD, Scottsdale Plastic Surgeon)

I would say you would require a tummy tuck. You have some loose skin that could get worse with liposuction, and you would not achieve a “flat” abdomen. Another major factor with your abdomen is rectus muscle looseness. Liposuction does not address this. If you really want a flat abdomen, a tummy tuck is the way to go. (Darshan Shah, MD, Bakersfield Plastic Surgeon)

Liposuction and tummy tuck surgery photo before

Based on your stated goal to achieve a “flat abdomen” you would most likely benefit from tummy tuck surgery. Liposuction can be used as a tool during this operation. I would suggest that you reach a long-term stable weight (if you are not there already) prior to undergoing any type of body contouring surgery. You will undoubtedly be offered liposuction surgery alone or mini tummy tuck surgery as an option; in my opinion, you will likely end up disappointed if you choose one of these options. (Tom J. Pousti, MD, FACS, San Diego Plastic Surgeon)

Liposuction or tummy tuck surgery

Hello Zizi, this is one of the most frequently asked questions I get from patients. Everyone would like to have the least invasive and easiest procedure to heal from performed on them. However, the least invasive and less expensive procedure is not always best and therefore, it is a very good question to ask. I believe that liposuction is a great tool for certain areas that need only “spot” reduction, or as an adjunct tool to use with other procedures.

For you to obtain the best results, and longest lasting, you definately need to have a full Tummy Tuck performed with the muscles tightened and excess skin removed. You could have additional Liposuction at the same time to your hips to help improve the shape even further. Anything short of this will be unsatisfactory to you. (Erez Sternberg, MD, Jacksonville Plastic Surgeon)

Tummy tuck surgery or liposuction

You appear to have laxity of your abdominal skin which makes a tummy tuck a better option for you to achieve your goals of a flat stomach. In addition liposuction can also be done to improve the contour of the belly. (Dana Khuthaila, MD, FACS, New York Plastic Surgeon)